Love Is Never Easy
by JanetBanana
Summary: SEQUEL TO TAPESTRY! More EdwinLizzie goodness. Set two and half years after Tapestry. Hope you like! I do NOT own Life With Derek
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Here it is, the first chapter of my sequel to Tapestry. As you'll soon figure out its set two and a half years later. Hope you like!

It had been two and a half years since Lizzie turned twelve. Two and half years. 30 months. 130 weeks. And since then my life had been seriously weird. Sure, we had reconciled, and we were still best friends. But I had known for a long time, even though it scared me to admit it when I was still so young, that I loved her. We'd been through everything together for close to four years. When I had a problem she was the one I'd go to, at least now. Sure, I used to ask Derek, but I learned a long time ago that Lizzie was a much better choice, because with Derek and Casey in the house it always turned into a competition. Not to mention she was a lot smarter than Derek and Casey when it comes to advice giving. We often teamed up against them now even when they didn't drag us into it, for laughs. The problem was that she didn't feel the same way. Lizzie still saw me as a best friend. She got crushes on other guys, and now she had a boyfriend, Oliver. That hurt me. A lot. But I never let it show. That wasn't something anyone needed to know. I played my game well. The family never suspected because they saw me as a mini-Derek. Since last year I'd take a new girl out every week. I chatted up the girls in the hotel on vacation. I was seen as a player just like Derek was at my age. Derek was proud of me; Casey was disgusted, calling me a 'skirt chasing cad' like she always called Derek. It was just like it had to be. I wasn't completely like Derek though. No one knew it but me, but Lizzie wasn't just my first kiss, but my only. I took those girls out for a reason. People would get suspicious if I just stopped getting crushes, because when I'd fallen for Lizzie, with my reputation, I was already well on my way to being a mini-Derek. If they, especially the family, noticed I didn't get crushes anymore they'd start bugging me about it wondering why, and it would come out I liked Lizzie. Then Casey would try to make things better and Derek would think I was nuts and those two would pretty much make my life a living hell. And I really have no idea what my parents would do, but at this point, it was just better to put on an act. So I took the girls out. But I never, ever kissed them. Why get their hopes up? I still carried a torch for Lizzie even if she didn't feel the same way. And I still hoped maybe someday she would.

Something was wrong with Edwin. He got less and less happy everyday. He tried to hide it, but I was his best friend, I could tell. He used to come to me with his problems. Now he just sat there brooding until I suggested some game or a plot against Derek and Casey, and he'd comply. His heart never seemed to be into anything he did anymore. I'd tried to talk to him about it, and Edwin, ever-honest-with-me Edwin, would brush it off and say something about needing more sleep or not eating well. I knew that was total bull, but I had no idea what was bugging him. I wanted to help him, but if he couldn't tell me what was wrong I hardly knew what I was supposed to say to him, let alone do for him. Last week I'd learned something a little startling. My friend Lindsey had been his flavor of the week. I'd warned her he never goes out with someone more than once, but she insisted she knew that, but that he was still fun to hang out with. Anyway, she'd called me the next day, which was a habit of hers. She'd call after a date to "give me the rundown". Of course, hearing a rundown on Edwin seemed a little silly to me, but this one wasn't all about how much fun he was etc. She said he'd called her Lizzie _three_ times on their date. I said maybe, but he lived with me, so he said Lizzie all the time, and it sounded a _lot_ like Lindsey, so it's an honest mistake. I was pretty sure that was it too, but I wasn't positive. My friend Diana had been out with him a month ago and told me he talked about me a _lot_. Sure I was his best friend _and_ his stepsister, which is what I'd told Diana, but after hearing what Lindsey had to say, and seeing Edwin's odd behavior, I wasn't entirely sure what to think anymore. It was funny, too, that we still got along so well, yet he was holding this back from me. And now, today, I was devastated and crying, because Oliver broke up with me. Yet somehow I had it in me to keep worrying about Edwin. Eh, well. It's official. I am _not_ normal.


	2. Chapter 2

Lizzie and I don't get home from school at the same time, because she always has soccer practice. So my heart dropped when she walked in and shoved her stuff to the floor, crying about something. She didn't look ready to talk to anyone, and she ran up to her room.

I asked Casey, who had picked her up and might know, what was wrong, and she said Oliver had broken up with her, but that it was all Lizzie had been willing to say. Let me tell you, I haven't felt such mixed emotions in a long time. This is what I wanted! I wanted Lizzie all to myself, and now she was single. But I had wanted _her_ to dump _him_. I didn't want her to come home miserable!

My first instinct, after comforting her of course, was to go after him and yell about how idiotic he was. Of course, I hadn't known the cause of their breakup, and it wasn't fair to him if I did. Sometimes things don't work out, and it wouldn't have been any better if he'd just stayed with her until they fought it to death.

I made my way up the stairs to find Lizzie. I knew that if she would talk to anyone it would be me. She'd tell the other family members she didn't want to talk about it, but to me, she'd spill it. I knocked on her door.

"Casey, I don't want to talk about it."

"It's not Casey, It's me, Edwin."

Seconds later the door opened, and she stood there with a tear stained red face. I silently offered her my shoulder and she just collapsed into my arms. This was a bit scary. I wasn't entirely sure what to say. But I could tell she was hurting, so I took a shot in the dark and said what felt right.

"Liz, you aren't going to feel this way forever. You'll move on. Don't let Oliver get to you."

I wasn't sure if that really made sense to say, though. I still didn't know why they broke up. Lizzie cleared that up now though.

"Oliver broke up with me because he said he didn't think my heart was in it. To be honest, he's probably right. I don't think it was. But what hurts is being rejected. Although, I guess if my heart wasn't in it, he was feeling rejected too. And that hurts me. I don't want to hurt someone. It's so complicated! If all I'm hurting about is a rejection I got for rejecting someone, then really I shouldn't be hurting at all, but guilty for leading him on. So now I'm the bad guy, you know?"

"No, Lizzie, you aren't a bad guy. You can't help it if you don't have feelings for him. But did you even realize it?"

"No. Yeah. Sort of. I mean, there was something missing, I knew it a while ago. But I didn't want to hurt him because I thought I was wrong."

"Well maybe you should talk to him about it. It might make both of you feel better."

"Hey I think you're right. Thanks, Ed."

"Anytime. Now I've got a song for you!" This was something that had become a habit for us, since then. It seemed the Tapestry album had a song for every occasion. I knew this one would make her feel better.

You've got to get up every morning 

_With a smile on your face_

_And show the world_

_All the love in your heart_

_Then people gonna treat you better_

_You're gonna find, yes you will_

_That you're beautiful as you feel_

_Waiting at the station_

_With the workday wind a blowing_

_I've got nothing to do but watch the passersby_

_Mirrored in their faces I see frustration growing_

_And they don't see it showing, why do I?_

You've got to get up every morning 

_With a smile on your face_

_And show the world_

_All the love in your heart_

_Then people gonna treat you better_

_You're gonna find, yes you will_

_That you're beautiful as you feel_

_I have often asked myself_

_The reason for the sadness_

_In a world where tears are just a lullaby_

_If there's any answer _

_Maybe love can end the madness_

_Maybe not, oh but we can only try_

You've got to get up every morning 

_With a smile on your face_

_And show the world_

_All the love in your heart_

_Then people gonna treat you better_

_You're gonna find, yes you will_

_That you're beautiful as you feel_

It had worked. The song had wiped her tears away and put a smile on her face. The rest was up to her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Sorry I took so long with the update. Writers block and other responsibilities. My apologies. Heres the next chapter.

OOO

I put on some clean sweats after my shower and went for a jog. Edwin had been right. I had to clear the air with Oliver. I didn't want to get back together with him. I just feel guilty about the way things ended.

It was one of those days where the snow blanketed the ground nicely. One of the things I enjoyed most was going for a walk or a jog around the neighborhood alone, so I spent a half an hour, which was twenty minutes longer than going directly to Oliver's would've been, touring the nearby streets, clearing my head.

I finally found myself on his front porch ringing the doorbell. He answered looking about as torn up as I had when I got home from soccer. "Oliver I'm sorry. You were right. My heart wasn't in this. I didn't want to hurt you and I feel awful that I did."

"To be honest, Lizzie, the only crime you committed is loving someone else. You can't help who you love. I'm just sorry you were stuck with me. It's just that you love Edwin."  
"I what?"

"It's become pretty obvious to me. You love Edwin. I don't know why, but you're afraid to admit it. Or maybe you just didn't let yourself realize it. I don't know. I just don't think you should keep letting yourself get caught up in meaningless relationships when he's right upstairs."

"But…I…you…you're right. I was afraid to admit it. I still am. You know why? Because he is the best friend I could ever ask for. And last time we took a step in the direction of a romantic relationship we lost two months. I don't want to lose my best friend."

"Well I think you should tell him that, not me. At any rate, maybe you should think about it, at least."

"You're right. Thanks Oliver. For everything."

"Anytime. Now go. Tell him."

I left, and walked to the park. I remembered Derek mentioning he'd be shooting baskets with Sam before I left. Since helping me with hockey, Derek and I had started to form more of a sibling relationship. I was still afraid to tell Edwin how I felt. Derek knew Ed better than anyone besides me, and even though I didn't necessarily want to tell Derek everything, I needed someone to help me think this out. Someone who knew Ed. So I sought help in the form of my big brother. I know what you're thinking, asking _Derek _for help? But I needed help with Edwin and Derek was pretty much my only option. Anyway, I got to the basketball courts, where Derek and Sam were taking a break. I asked Derek if he would walk home with me. He said something about finishing the game first, but Sam interrupted and said he had a paper to write. So then we were walking home. I didn't know how much Derek had figured out simply from living with us, so I dove in at the beginning and told him the stuff that mattered. Halfway through my story Derek started to get that I was really stressed and offered to take me for hot chocolate. So we were sitting in a coffee shop and I finished spilling my guts to him. "Lizzie, I know what I'm about to say may not be what you are expecting. I mean, considering I'm older and even I don't really get what you are feeling and all. But you have to go for it. Tell him everything. Trust me. Want to know something funny? Last week when Casey and I fought, Dad and Nora punished us by making us spend time together with no forms of entertainment so we would actually _attempt_ a civil conversation. Naturally, we found safe topics. One of those topics happened to be our siblings. Edwin had the same strategy as you. He went to Casey. He asked her the very same things. But she couldn't tell him to go for it because you had a boyfriend. So listen to me. Tell Edwin you love him. Sure it's going to change your life. But playing it safe never helped anyone."

He was right about one thing. I certainly didn't expect him to say that! He was also right in his advice. Now I just had to confront Ed. That, of course, would be easier said than done.


	4. Chapter 4

You know something? The same actions that make people cute most of the time make them annoying when you don't want them around. I was watching TV with Liz and Marti, but really, I was watching Lizzie.

She was capable of holding my attention a lot better than the cartoon movie on the screen. Anyway, Marti kept getting up in my face, trying to tell me stories that I didn't really want to hear. Normally she was cute and funny when she did that, now I just wanted her to go upstairs.

In a few minutes I was taking Lizzie and Marti to the movies. I really wished Marti didn't have to come, but Casey and Derek were busy being college students with lives and didn't have time to baby-sit anymore. I'd had some ideas rolling around in my head; I kind of wanted to make a move on Lizzie. I didn't want to scare her or anything, though. I certainly remember what happened when I tried to kiss her.

But Marti put the kibosh on it anyway. As we were getting into our coats, though, Demy called and asked if Marti wanted to play. So now it was just the two of us again, after all.

Lizzie asked me how badly I wanted to see the movie. I told her it wasn't a big deal, if she had something else in mind I was flexible. I mean, I just wanted to spend time with her without the distractions of high school, siblings, and parents. We may be best friends who live in the same house, but between homework and extracurricular activities, it was still hard to find time to spend together these days. So when Lizzie suggested we ditch the movie and have a picnic I thought that sounded like a pretty good idea.


End file.
